The invention relates generally to a single-thrust bearing of the type comprising a rolling-contact bearing having an inner ring and an outer ring, as well as a thrust ring surrounding the outer ring with radial clearance. In bearings of this type, the outer ring and the thrust ring are braced against one another by an intermediate ring of rubber-elastic material. The intermediate ring is formed by at least two web members, which are distributed in the circumferential direction and are separated by a circumferential clearance. One example of this general type bearing is set forth in U.S. application Ser. No. 08/078,130, which was filed on Jun. 16, 1993 and which is assigned to the assignee of the instant application.
Another example of such a bearing is disclosed by the German Provisional Patent 20 61 625. This previously disclosed bearing is applied as an intermediate bearing for the cardan shaft of motor vehicles, whereby the intermediate ring is formed by several web members of rubber-elastic material, which are uniformly distributed in the circumferential direction. The web members extend between the outer ring and the thrust ring in the radial direction. However, the working properties of such bearings are not sufficiently satisfactory over a long service life. Following the manufacturing process and during normal operational use, tensile and shearing stresses, which reduce service life, occur within the web members, particularly in the area of the radially inner and outer supporting surfaces. These stresses can lead to premature wear and tear, and consequently cause the bearing to fail.
There remains a need to further develop bearings of the previously disclosed type so as to reliably avoid service-life-reducing shearing and tensile forces within the rubber-elastic intermediate ring and to achieve improved working properties for the bearing over a prolonged service life. Furthermore, there remains a need for such bearings that can be assembled by employing fewer component parts.